The U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Denmark's Riso National Laboratory, Technical University of Denmark (DTU) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to design more efficient wind turbines and wind energy systems.

According to NREL, the MOU - signed by NREL director Dan Arvizu and Riso managing director Jorgen Kjems - calls for the laboratories to focus on collaborations in areas such as meteorology, aerodynamics, wind turbine structures and materials, control systems and electrical grid integration.

NREL has begun to focus on both offshore wind and better utility integration in the U.S. Meanwhile, the Danish laboratory has years of experience in the challenges of developing offshore wind farms and in putting large amounts of wind-generated electricity on the utility grid, NREL adds.

"Formal cooperation between the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and Riso National Laboratory on technology development and deployment is an example of the kind of international effort that is needed to bring the world affordable, clean energy and to effectively lower greenhouse emissions at rate commensurate with the challenge," says Alexander Karsner, U.S. assistant secretary of energy for energy efficiency and renewable energy.